Meet our PhD candidates within the EU Marie Sklodowska-Curie Program (MSCA) COFUND trainLSE project
The program “Interdisciplinary and intersectoral doctoral training programme at Technische Universität Darmstadt in Life Science Engineering” – trainLSE – aims to establish interdisciplinary research and training of excellent international young researchers at the interface between engineering and life sciences. trainLSE is integrated into the existing PhD program of the Graduate School Life Science Engineering (GS LSE) at TU Darmstadt. PhD candidates are members of the LSE community and benefit from the structured doctoral training.
The MSCA-COFUND doctoral program not only provides research training in the fields of biology, chemistry, materials science, electrical engineering, physics, and mechanical engineering, but also prepares you for your future career in academia and industry and offers the opportunity of research internships in renowned partner research institutions, universities or companies in different countries.
Our final 10 candidates were selected in April 2024 and started their exciting journey at TU Darmstadt:
| Name | Lab | Department |
| Tarik Benali | Self-Organizing Systems | Prof. Koeppl – ETIT |
| Georgie Solyus | Self-Organizing Systems | Prof. Koeppl – ETIT |
| Farah AlHamam | Chromosome organisation & Centromere identity |
Prof. Heun – Biology |
| Gizem Cantörü | Biohybrid Systems for Cellular Engineering | Dr. Belluati – Chemistry |
| Ezgi Sentürk | Integrated Micro- and Nanosystems | Prof. Burg – ETIT |
| Lakshmy T Ajithan | Integrated Micro- and Nanosystems | Prof. Burg – ETIT |
| Livia Campos | Biophotonics – Biomedical Engineering | Prof. Frosch – ETIT |
| Salomé Luis | BioMedical Printing Technology | Prof. Blaeser – Mechanical Engineering |
| Esraa Elmorsy | Nanostructures fabricated by ion-track technology | Prof. Toimil-Molares – Material Science |
| Mohammadjavad Jazini | Control and Cyber-Physical Systems | Prof. Findeisen – ETIT |
The journey to Darmstadt
Our journey began in February 2024 when we met selected candidates for virtual interviews. The top candidates were then invited to Darmstadt for an on-site recruitment event, which included a joint dinner and a campus tour of our university.
We officially welcomed the first PhD students of the trainLSE program into our LSE community during a Christmas party in December 2024. In January, the new students had the opportunity to meet in person, connect with one another, and receive a comprehensive introduction to the trainLSE training program by the coordinator.
Looking ahead, we have many exciting events and training sessions planned for 2025. Stay curious—we'll keep you updated.
February 2025: Visit to GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research in Darmstadt
Our regular LSE Seminars provide a fantastic opportunity for students to engage with the community and organize exclusive excursions. Recently, a PhD student from the Graduate School arranged a guided visit to the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research in Darmstadt. This included a tour of the FAIR international accelerator facility, one of the world's largest research projects. It was an incredible chance to explore cutting-edge accelerator technology and its role in advancing scientific discovery.
